WCC NEWS: On Valentine’s Day, share hearts and flowers—and do your part to prevent abuse

Red hearts, pink flowers, holding hands: a World Council of Churches (WCC) campaign is sharing traditional Valentine’s Day images coupled with messages that aim to prevent abuse and violence. Image design: WCC 11 February 2021 The WCC is encouraging people to share new images and messages created for 2021 on social media on and around Valentine’s Day, 14 February.   “Celebrate love, prevent abuse.” “Love is kind.” “Each day, affirm respect, devotion and love.”   These messages invite reflection during a year in which a “shadow pandemic” of domestic abuse and violence has risen alarmingly in conjunction with COVID-19-related lockdowns. In response, the Thursdays in Black campaign has grown, with increasing numbers of global ambassadors speaking out, in many regions and languages, in support of a world free from rape and gender-based violence. Larissa Aguiar Garcia, from Igreja Medista do Brasil, is a Thursdays in Black ambassador who encourages people in her community and across the world to speak out against gender-based violence—and to be aware of its root causes. “For centuries we have romanticised the hardships and violence one must endure to be in a relationship,” said Garcia, who is also a member of the WCC ECHOS Commission for young people. “It can be seen in idioms, literature and all sorts of media. However love is kind, supportive and respectful! This Valentine's Day, may you seek love that heals and that is truthful.” Rev. Damon Mkandawire, also a Thursdays in Black ambassador, urged people not to twist the concept of love—even if everyone else seems to be. "You have probably heard a lot of people say that ‘love hurts’—and we all tend to follow the crowd and believe that ‘love hurts’— this isn't true,” said Mkandawire, who is a hospital administrator for the United Church of Zambia’s Mbereshi Mission Hospital. “This Valentine’s Day and beyond, remember that love doesn't hurt you. A person that doesn't know how to love hurts you. Don't get it twisted. Love is an extraordinary thing.”   Download the Valentine’s images to share on your social media Thursdays in Black See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC interim general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland